“What was first just a dream has become a frightening reality for those who may oppose us,” a chilling quote, from perhaps one of the most frightening villains in Star Wars. Grand Admiral Thrawn, at long last shown in live action, was teased numerous times throughout both Ahsoka’s episodes and its trailers. Ahsoka, a series centered around the Jedi Ahsoka, is a relatively hit-or-miss show but brings Star Wars new life in a galaxy far, far away.
Ahsoka was, objectively, an entertaining show. People wanted Star Wars, and Star Wars they received. While recent series of the franchise took dives into the underworld part of the galaxy, with Ahsoka came the classic struggle of good vs. evil, Sith vs. Jedi, and light vs. dark. It was something missing from other shows. Despite the traditional feeling of the Rebellion vs. the Empire, at the same time, the characters had some complexities in themselves that made for potent character arcs, like the transition of Sabine Wren from rebellious young adult to disciplined Jedi Padawan. In addition, Ahsoka delved into the fantasy of Star Wars, bringing intergalactic travel and the epic scale of the universe, with all its creatures and planets. The series told a story that was characteristically Star Wars: the underdog courageously fighting against the superior evil force bent on domination of the galaxy. And, of course, the most thrilling part of the show: the reemergence of Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Despite the Star Wars-esque nature of the series, Ahsoka progressed very slowly. The buildup to the big, ominous, supervillain stretched across more than half the season, which left some of the first episodes feeling like filler episodes only meant to prolong the wait for Thrawn’s reveal. Ahsoka and her band of fellow heroes would embark on journeys that, while meaningful to the story, seemed unnecessary to stretch to a full episode. In addition, the cinematography of the series was sometimes detrimental to the impact of the episodes. Frequent cuts from scene to scene were helpful for knowing what was going on at the same time, but led to short fight scenes that didn’t showcase the standard Star Wars invention of the lightsaber. There were few exciting lightsaber duels that put through the emotion and skills of the characters.
Even though Ahsoka is not in a perfect galaxy, it is still undoubtedly Star Wars. From the fantastical beings, the struggle of good vs. bad, and possibly the coolest Grand Admiral ever: Thrawn. While slow and not as impactful as possible, Ahsoka is still a solid series that is a wonderful addition to the galaxy far, far away.
